Mail-catcher.



J. C. ADAMS.

` MAIL GATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 23, 1908* y Patented Au .24. 1909..

2 sHETs-sHEET l.

ANDREW, E. GRAHAM co.,.Fwoaurnocnwniws wAsmNGroN. D. l;

J. C. ADAMS.

MAIL CATGHER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 2a, 190s.

932,085. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

r l/f 3U ya? 7;

Il Z awfm@ A :Lu/7, @um

Ammew. a. GRAHAM co., PHTo-LIIMQGRAPHERS, wnsnmG'n'm n. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. ADAMS, OF CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-CAT CHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. ADAMS, citizen of the United States, residing at Charleston, in the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention pertains to means designed most especially for receiving mail from moving trains, the purpose being to prevent injury to the sacks or containers holding the mail or other matter and also to insure delivery at a certain point.

In accordance with this invention a catcher of novel and peculiar formation is devised and located at one side of the track in convenient position to receive the mail from the train, as the latter passes the station said catcher being of such` formation as to receive the mail from a train passing in either direction.

For a full imderstanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

"While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure or minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features of the invention, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a catcher embodying the invention, showing a portion of a mail car and a crane fitted thereto and in position for delivering mail to the catcher: Fig. 2 is an end view of the parts illustrated in F ig. 1: Fig. 3 is a top plan view: and Fig. et is a transverse section of the catcher. Fig. 5 is an end view of the crane showing a series of mail sacks suspended in position for delivery. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the upper bracket supporting the crane showing the yieldable stop. Fig. 7 is a front view of the catcher.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followinO description and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the same reference characters.

The catcher is mounted upon a framework which as shown comprises posts 1 and braces 2. Steps 3 are vprovided for mounting to the top of the frame-work so as to reach the catcher for removing mail matter Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 23, 1908.

Serial No. 459,246.

therefrom or for other purposes. The catcher is of box formation but is open at opposite ends and closed at the bottom, top and sides. he bottom l may be. of any construction and .preferably consists of a platform which is supported upon the upper ends of the posts 1. The side 5 of the catcher facing the track is formed near its lower edge with a horizontal slot 6 through which the lower arm of the crane is adapted to pass. The outer side 7 is provided with doors 8 which admit of removal of the mail from the catcher. The sides 5 and 7 are approximately of uniform height. The top 9 is formed in opposite ends with slots 10 which flare toward their outer ends so as to directthe sack to a middle position between the sides of the catcher.

A vertical partition 11 is located midway between the ends of the catcher and is formed with a horizontal slot 12 near it-s lower edge, said slot corresponding in position with the slot G of the side 5, and serving to provide a passage for the lower arm of the crane. Tapered slots 10 terminate at their inner ends a short distance from the partition 11. Guards 13 are located at the ends of the catcher and their upper edges terminate in the plane of the lower edge of the side 5, bordering upon the slot 6. These guards 13 prevent the mail sacks or containers from leaving the catcher in the event of two or more being received therein. The several parts of the catcher such as the top, sides and guards, are preferably formed of wire fabric or netting so as to provide a light structure and one which will be durable and admit of the mail matter being readily observed from any point.

The crane mounted upon the car for holding the sacks in position for delivery consists of a post 14, an upper arm 15 and a lower arm 16. A brace 17 is interposed between the lower portion of the post 14: and the arm 15. The arms 15 and 16 have a slight vertical play. The arm 16 is supported in its lowest position by means of a bracket 18. The upper arm 15 is likewise limited in its downward movement byl a bracket 19. A post 14: is mounted in the brackets 18 and 19 so as to turn and thereby admit of the crane folding close against the side of the car or swinging across the door for convenience in placing the sacks in p0- sition for delivery. A spring actuated catch 20 is mounted upon the bracket 19 Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

and limits the movement of the crane when Aswung outward about at a right angle to the side of the car to hold the sacks in position for delivery. A contractile spring 21 is interposed between the arm 15 and the side of the car and serves to swing the crane against the side of the car when released of the weight of the sack. The catch or stop 2O is adapted to be depressed when the arm 15 is riding thereover and springs upward after the arm is passed thereover and engages with a side thereof to hold the crane extended against the tension of the spring 21. V'Vhen the arm 15 is relieved of the weight of the sack or container' the spring 22 presses the arm 15 upward a distance to clear the catch or stop 20 after which the crane is folded against the side of the car by the action of the spring 21. For' swinging the crane outward, a cord, chain or like connection 23 is attached to the arm 15 and passes around a guide pulley 24; provided at a side of the car some distance from the post 14 and has its opposite end attached to a windlass 25 upon which it is adapted to be wound, said windlass being provided 'with a handwheel 2G for conveniencein rotating said windlass when it is required to wind the connection 23 thereon.

The attaching means for retaining the sacks in place consist of hooks 27 which are arranged transversely of the respective arms and are attached thereto by one member. The other member of each hook 27 is free and curves and isr resilient. The hooks while possessed of a spring action are nevertheless sufficiently stout to retain and sup-I port the sacks or' retainers. The hooks 27 face in the same direction which is opposite to= the direction of movement of the train, thereby permitting the sacksv 28 to slide or become readily disengaged therefrom when arrested in their movement by impact with the catcher or parts thereof against which the sacks strike'.

The sack or container 28 holding the matter to be delivered is attached at its lower' ends to the inner or free' mem-bers ofthe spring hooks 27,- the crane having' first been, swung so as to extend across the .doorway of theI postal car to admit of the sack or sacks being conveniently attached to the crane".-

- After the' crane has been supplied with the sack or container to be delivered it is swung' outward preferably by operating the windlass 25. As the crane swings outward the tension of the spring 21 increases and when the crane is in proper position it is held by the catch or stop 20. As the train a proaches the station and passes thereby, tiie lower arm 16 of the crane sweeps through the slot 6 of the side 5 of the catcher and through the slot 12 of the partition 11, the

upper arm 15 passing. over the top of the catcher and the upper connection of the sack passing through the slot 10. `When the sack or container strikes the partition 11 it is disengaged from the arms of the crane, and the upper arm 15 being relieved of ther weight is thrown upward by the spring 22 thereby clearing the stop 20 after which the spring 21 swings vthe crane against the side of the car, said crane being held in folded position by means of a catch 29 attached to a side of the car in position to engage with the upper arm 15.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mail catcher comprising sides and a top, the side facing the track having a longitudinal slot and the top having a slot extending therein a short distance from its extreinity.

2. A mail catcher comprising inclosing sides and a top, a partition dividing the catcher midway of its ends, the sides of the catcher having a longitudinal slot throughout its length and the partition having a slot in communication with said longitudinal slot, and the top of the catcher having slots extending inward from the ends thereof to within a short distance of the partition.

3. A lmail catcher comprising a bottom,

' top and sides, and open at its ends, a partition dividing the catcher midway of its ends, said partition and the side of the catcher facing the track having slots therein and the top of the catcher having inwardly Aextending slots at opposite ends, and guards at the' ends of the bottom and terminating about in the plane of the lower edge of the slots of the said partit-ion and innerV side.

In testimony whereof affix my signature' in presence of two witnesses.

Y JGHN C. ADAMS. Witnesses z' Liinv ADAMS, EMILY JOHNSTON. 

